The news of Hostess’ impending shutdown in the wake of crippling union strikes has struck a chord with many Americans who can’t help but feel a connection with the iconic American dessert.

On Twitter, 140 character lamentations were posted from around the country causing the words “Hostess” and “Twinkies” to intermittently trend nationwide over the last 24 hours.

Coupled with the sadness at the loss of the uniquely American creation was criticism of the union that went on the strike which ultimately led management to shut down operations. We reported here yesterday that the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM) has denied responsibility, instead insisting that management’s rigid refusal to work with the union led to the shutdown.

“The truth is that Hostess workers and their Union have absolutely no responsibility for the failure of this company. That responsibility rests squarely on the shoulders of the company’s decision makers,” Frank Hurt, BCTGM International Union President, said in a separate statement released on Wednesday.

Recent revelations have called this assertion into question.

The shutdown of Hostess probably can be blamed, at least in part, on both sides of the picket line. Hostess has been trying to reorganize and emerge from bankruptcy court for a number of years which has caused them to institute less than popular policies with its employees.

However, a new statement released by the Teamster’s Union, which also had thousands of members employed by Hostess, suggests that BCTGM likely dealt the death blow to their own jobs, as well as the jobs of thousands of Teamsters. (h/t HotAir) [Emphasis mine]

In fact, when Hostess attempted to throw out its collective bargaining agreement with the Teamsters in court, the Teamsters fought back and won, ensuring that Hostess could not unilaterally make changes to working conditions during the several months’ long legal process that recently ended. Teamster Hostess members were allowed to decide their fate by voting on the final offer conducted by a secret mail ballot. More than two-thirds of Hostess Teamsters members voted with 53 percent voting to approve the final offer.

The BCTGM chose a different path, as is their prerogative, to not substantively look for a solution or engage in the process. BCTGM members were told there were better solutions than the final offer, although Judge Drain stated in his decision in bankruptcy court that no such solutions exist. Without complete information, BCTGM members voted by voice votes in union halls. The BCTGM reported that over 90 percent rejected the final offer and three of its units ratified the final offer.

On Friday, Nov. 9, the BCTGM began to strike at some Hostess production facilities without notice to the Teamsters despite assurances they would not proceed with job actions without contacting the Teamsters Union. This unannounced action put Teamster members in the difficult position of facing picket lines without knowing their right to honor such a line without being disciplined.

As is our longstanding tradition, Teamster members by and large are honoring Bakery Worker picket lines when encountered and complying with their contractual obligations when not encountering picket lines. The BCTGM leaders are putting Teamster members in a horrible position – asking them to support a strike that will put them out of a job when they haven’t even asked all their members to go on strike.

It appears the unilateral decision by BCTGM to strike has not only left their members without a job, but thousands of other union and non-union members across the country as well.

For more information on this story, see HotAir, which has done a great job getting background information and developing a more complete timeline of events.

Employees at Los Angeles International Airport were considering plans Friday to walk off the job ahead on what is traditionally the busiest traveling day of the year.

A coalition of Southland labor and community leaders are calling for the protest of alleged violations by LAX contractor Aviation Safeguards (AVSG) after breaking their contract with the airport earlier this year.

Andrew Gross-Gaitan, the director of the Southern California Airports Division of SEIU, told KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO that AVSG left more than 400 LAX workers without affordable family health care when it failed to comply with the city’s Living Wage Ordinance.

I needed some more understanding of this issue and decided I’d start at the BCTGM.org website but I wasn’t the only one who thought that way as the site has crashed, exceeded its bandwith. But their Twitter account @BCTGM is not holding back, with lots of “we didn’t do it” tweets and links to articles. Worth checking out.

The Teamsters don’t really have clean hands either.
As I understand it, the drivers of Wonder bread couldn’t carry anything but Wonder bread … there had to be a separate truck and driver for the Hostess products. Once the trucks arrived, there had to be a separate person to stock the shelves .. the driver couldn’t do that.

Someone will buy the Twinkie brand and start baking in a non-union kitchen. The Democrats will claim responsibility for the new success of Twinkie in 2016 while Republicans say nothing to refute their flagrant BS.

Bimbo Grupo,(wonderful name – it might as well be Puta!) the Mexican Bakery conglomerate tried to buy the brands from Interstate Bakeries four years age. Bimbo Bakeries has already purchased brands such as Sara Lee, Entenmann’s and Brownberry.

(This name reminds me of the story of Pollio Cheese Co. which changed it’s name to Polly-O in the 1940’s because of the spread of the dreaded polio virus.) Kraft owns them now.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that Walmart employees are non-union. Walking off the job could be costly to each and every one of them – and if you don’t work for Walmart, you cannot vote for unionization.

Those of you who are out-of-work just might want to place your application at the neighborhood Wally’s World.